Transcript: Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley’s remarks at the morning press conference on the Boston Marathon bombing on April 16, 2013

Partial transcript of remarks by Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley on the Boston Marathon bombing at the morning press conference on Tuesday, April 16, 2013:

Good morning. My name is Daniel Conley. I’m the District Attorney here in Boston.

What occurred yesterday in Boston was an act of cowardice.

While there will be an opportunity in the future at the conclusion of this investigation to officially define this act, make no mistake – an act of cowardice of this severity cannot be justified or explained; it can only be answered.

To that end, some of the finest investigators at the local, state, and federal levels have been working through the night to not only conduct interviews and process the scene but to ensure that those interviews are legally sound and that the evidence is recovered with the greatest care.

At the same time, police and other law enforcement agencies have been actively working to ensure the safety of our city.

At this point, the loss that we have suffered is enormous. But thanks to the efforts of the EMTs, police officers, firefighters, volunteers, ordinary citizens and, of course, doctors, nurses, and the medical staff at Boston’s world-class hospitals, we can say with absolute certainty that more lives were saved. For this, we can all give thanks.

In the days and weeks to come, we will do our very best to keep the public and the media apprised and advised of the progress of this investigation and our work.

It is important, however, for the sake of the victims and of the city, that our investigators be given the room to do their jobs so that the truth can be found and so that justice can be served.

Moments like this and our response to them define who we are. In the past 24 hours, this city of Boston has shown its strength, its compassion, and its determination to see justice done.